St Mary Magdalen with St
Francis,

LOCLEAZE, Bristol

This is the second church to serve the people of
Lockleaze. The original church of St Francis stood in Dovercourt
Road and was replaced by this building built to the designs of
T.H.Burrough in 1956. His design made entire use of prefabricated
materials for industrial buildings and with its startling outline
was a prominent feature of Gainsborough Square. The church was
embellished with a window in the Lady Chapel by Margaret
Trahearne depicting the Fifteen Mysteries and a figure of Christ
over the entrance by Ernest Pascoe. there was also an engraved
window by J.Hutton.

Unfortunately the church developed "concrete
cancer" and the cost of restoration proved prohibitively
expensive for the congregation. The building became structurally
unsafe and was closed. The church had to be demolished and the
following two pictures show the church being demolished in 1996.

The parish tried to save its works of art.
Unfortunately when attempts were made to remove the statue of
Christ it crumbled into powder. The chapel window was an integral
part of the building too and would have had to be rebuilt as new
- the problems of setting glass in concrete! The cost was much
too high. Only the window by Hutton was saved to be used in the
future church.

The church site is now occupied by housing, and
Gainsborough Square is all the poorer for the loss of such a
prominent structure. Yet the church continues on the square.

The picture above shows the parish hall alongside the
parish church. The rather grim building now serves as the church
for Lockleaze. Looking at it one can hardly imagine a less
inspiring building for a church. The next
page will show you the transformation of this building into the
present church.